Schools share more than Tustin campus

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Even though A.G. Currie Middle School and Jeane Thorman Elementary School have shared the same campus since 1973, they have historically been separate schools with different administrations and individual goals.

However, the start of the 2013-14 school year marked a change in the direction of both schools with students and administration striving to make the schools interact to create a stronger campus experience.

To commemorate the joining of the two schools, the Currie Middle School Associated Student Body created the Stronger Together – Stronger Than Ever event, which featured carnival games for the students and families of Currie and Thorman, said Christine Matos, principal for Thorman Elementary School and Currie Middle School.

The event was slated for Thursday at the school.

Matos said that joining the two schools under one administration was decided by the Tustin Unified School District school board and was implemented at the start of the school year.

“Each (school) retains its own identity in elementary focus and middle school focus,” Matos said. “However, so many more opportunities have become available as a K-8 model.”

At the start of the year, the school administration created new electives such as the opportunity for Currie students to become teacher's aides in Thorman classes, implementing a new set of core values to promote attentive, likable, eager, reliable and thoughtful students, and allowing Thorman student participation during Currie's ASB classes.

Kathy Nielson, chief academic officer for the district, said the decision to merge the schools was because of Matos' success as principal of Currie Middle School, citing her leadership and focus on academics.

Matos is in charge of both schools along with two assistant principals, Kimberly Thompson and Heather Bojorquez.

With the creation of the Stronger Together – Stronger Than Ever event, Jamie Joyce, eighth-grade teacher and adviser for ASB, supervises event planning from Currie students while also facilitating help from Thorman students who are eager to learn from older students.

During a regular session of ASB, Joyce takes event suggestions from Currie students and then allows Thorman students to help with tasks such as decorating banners and shadowing older students while they work.

Thorman student Alyssa Martinez, 10, said she enjoys working with Currie ASB because planning events will be useful since she wants to become a teacher.

Joyce said the middle-school students have become leaders to the Thorman pupils by setting examples in hard work, while the elementary students have shown excitement in working on schoolwide projects.

“ASB does really help,” Amberly Reyes, 13, president of ASB and a Tustin resident, said.

“It's a good way for (Thorman students) to start middle school with ASB and learn how to make the school a better place,” Reyes said.

Thompson said participation has increased, with Currie students volunteering regularly to oversee Thorman children playing sports and during lunch.

The next obstacle for Matos is the state of academics for Thorman students because the school is below the proficiency levels of the district.

According to 2011-12 data from the California Department of Education, 34 percent of Thorman students are proficient in language arts and 47 percent are proficient in math, compared with the Tustin Unified School District proficiency of 71 percent in language arts and 61 percent in math.

To remedy the situation, Matos said the school will scrutinize teaching methods and target failing students by providing more instruction during class and after school.

Matos said she wants to provide a high level of academic achievement for the students moving from Thorman to Currie, and that the joining of the two schools is an opportunity to ensure success.

“I think it's an exciting time to try something new that will help the school community,” Matos said. “I look forward to the challenge.”

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